


Just A Kiss

by Molly_Jae



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Not-Explicit Hate Speech, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 12:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30139404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Molly_Jae/pseuds/Molly_Jae
Summary: It becomes abundantly clear that the three didn’t know two very important things in that moment: one, Jace is Alec’s parabatai; and two, Underhill is an openly gay man. So Jace, as one of the two men that's the reason they're still alive, teaches them a lesson. With a kiss.
Relationships: Andrew Underhill/Jace Wayland
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Just A Kiss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Noteventhat (Facialteeth)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Facialteeth/gifts).



> A Heronhill prompt on the [Malec Discord Server](https://discord.gg/kd5JGy47) by [Noteventhat (Facialteeth)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Facialteeth/pseuds/Noteventhat) birthed this fic. The prompt can be found in the end notes!
> 
> Thank you for letting me play with your idea, Fate 💚

The first time those new recruits from Angel-knew-where joined his team for a mission, Jace already had a bad feeling about them. It had gone off without a hitch despite the niggling thought in the back of his head that there was something off. The world was free of three more demons, Alec wasn’t on his case about being too reckless with the fresh meat, and his grandmother wasn’t pestering him to move to Alicante.

That one mission, of course, doesn’t prove anything.

It does, however, solidify the trust he has in his instincts when, while they’re depositing their weapons to the armory after a mission with the same batch of new recruits, this time with Underhill as point and himself as second, and he catches the tail-end of their conversation.

_ “Being part of the New York Institute is great, if only it weren’t run by a--” _

He hears more said, but doesn’t get the chance to say anything when an alert sounds and their team is sent out once again. Briefly, he catches Underhill’s eye, but the man’s back to commander mode and all they get to exchange is a nod as Jace settles back into being his second.

Three hours, five demons, and a bunch of fresh iratzes later, they were heading back to the Institute. Underhill leads them in a different direction though, to a hidden bar that caters mostly to downworders. All three newbies are technically underage, though nephilim usually started drinking at age sixteen, so it hardly matters. And a morale booster is definitely what they needed. They may have come out of the fight alive, but that is more because Jace and Underhill work about as well as  _ parabatai _ without actually being  _ parabatai _ . Their reports are going to reflect that, and Alec’s sure to bench them (and probably leave them at Isabelle’s mercy).

Before they could enter though, the teenagers start talking once again, and it becomes abundantly clear that these three didn’t know two very important things in that moment: one, Jace is Alec’s  _ parabatai _ ; and two, Underhill is an openly gay man.

Jace doesn’t say anything. Underhill was always one to stand up for himself. He’s got this. But then Underhill says nothing as he converses with a man by the bar’s door. Either he isn’t hearing it or he’s not addressing it yet.

_ “Can you imagine being a--” _

With an annoyed huff, Jace walks right up to Underhill just as the other man left, probably to pick up their orders from the kitchen (trust Underhill to have called ahead so they’d have something to bring back).

“Figured it’d be a good morale booster.” Underhill shrugs at Jace, only to furrow his brows when he notes the tension in the blond.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but those kids are--”

“Homophobic little shits?” He smiles, rolling his eyes. “I’ll rip into them at the Institute. Between the two back-to-back missions, I am not in the mood to get into a fight out here.”

“What about we do something else then?”

Underhill raises a brow at him.

“Prove that they know nothing about being gay or a shadowhunter. They were useless out there and would probably be dead if it weren’t for us.”

The grin Underhill sends him is tinged with amusement, “What, you going to kiss me, Herondale?”

Jace doesn’t falter. “Yes.”

“Oh.” Underhill chuckles. “Go for it.”

Neither of them knew what to expect; not Jace, and certainly not (Andrew? Andrew.) Jace cups Andrew’s cheek and leans in without a second thought.

He kisses the way he fights, Andrew thinks distantly, like he knows exactly what he wants and how to get about getting it with his bare hands. Jace tilts his head and Andrew reacts without much thought. He nibbles on Andrew’s lower lip, and it’s Andrew who has the presence of mind to end the kiss with a quick push back into a firmer kiss before stepping away.

The trio they are babysitting stand quietly on the side, and Andrew knows they get the not-so-subtle message Jace is sending. 

Their order arrives and Jace has the three carry the boxes of takeout that would feed the Institute’s Security Department. Say what you would about Andrew, he knows a good portion of his subordinates love him on the premise that he brings them food or has a night out with them at least once a month out of his own pocket.

Alec is in the Ops Center when they arrive. Normally, the newbies would report to Isabelle for their debrief in a bid to ensure that there was no abuse of power where those in his and Jace’s position might take advantage. They report to Alec to be acknowledged, and then send the trio to deliver the meals to Andrew’s men. When they return, Andrew and Jace have covered the very basics of the mission with Alec, and dismiss the three with an order to head straight to Isabelle’s office.

A call distracts Alec, so they leave him with the agreement that they would continue the debrief after dinner, with their reports already written and ready for filing.

When it’s only the two of them left walking to their quarters, Andrew elbows Jace, "Thanks for earlier, I think.” He grins, and Jace smirks, ready with a quip, when Andrew continues, “Though I can't say I understand what the fuss is all about."

Jace twitches. No way has his kissing just been dissed.

Andrew is clearly trying to get a rise out of him, and Jace will even probably be able to tell, with hindsight, but it doesn’t stop him from snapping then and there.

“I’ve had no complaints,” he shoves Andrew. “And if it actually wasn’t good, it’s because I was so fucking pissed, okay?”

Having barely stumbled, Andrew shrugs, nods, and then replies, “Some people kiss well no matter what the circumstances, but that’s okay. Not all of us have that natural kind of talent.”

“None of my partners have ever complained!” Jace repeats, aghast at Andrew’s implications. “In fact, I’ve heard incredibly good things!”

Andrew pauses and squints at him, having reached the hallway leading down his quarters. He pats on Jace’s shoulder, a common sign of camaraderie between them, he squeezes the man’s shoulder, and shakes his head. “Those poor straight girls.”

What follows is an interesting month of them dancing around not mentioning the kiss at all, and arguing (read: Andrew teasing Jace) about Jace’s kissing skills. In spite of all the jokes though, they continue as they always had. They've always made a good team, which is probably why Alec has them do missions and patrol together often.

The only time it's actually brought up again is when they're faced with the same new recruits from before. They'd been put through their paces and punished by Isabelle. Alec didn't even get a chance to do anything, from what Andrew’s heard. She just took over and Alec went with it. Their last task is a formal apology, to Alec, Jace, and Andrew, in that order.

When the group leaves, Andrew grins at Jace. “For a second there, I thought you were going to kiss me again.”

Jace doesn’t bat an eye as he shifts his weight and hits Andrew’s side with the training sword in his hand. He had been in the middle of a demonstration when Andrew had walked in with Magnus, accompanying the warlock as he renewed the wards.

Andrew lets out a sound somewhere between a groan and a laugh as Jace helps him up.

They don’t talk about it, but from that moment on, Jace is dead set on kissing Andrew again and showing him exactly how good of a kisser he is. He doesn’t really stop to consider what that means about his sexuality or anything else. He just knows that Andrew insulted him and he will not rest until he proves him wrong.

The others find out about it and do nothing to enlighten Jace. In fact, they end up goading him even more.

_ "Andrew's actually with Clary. Think they're comparing notes?" Isabelle tells him when he asks her where Andrew is because Alec’s looking for him. _

_ "Maia asked for some assistance, so Underhill and his team are on it. Figured since they had you in common, it'd be fine." Alec says with a shit-eating grin when he asked about not being sent out for a mission in three days. Not to mention that he had been injured, but still. _

_ "You know, I believe that handsome man didn't complain about Alexander." Magnus muses after dinner, as they share a drink on Magnus' balcony. Alec, who’d come outside and overheard the tail-end of the conversation had only snorted and pressed a kiss to Magnus’ temple. Magnus may have been jealous of the guy at one point, but the warlock definitely loves fucking with Jace even more. A little half truth wouldn't hurt. Andrew hadn't complained about Alec. Nothing had happened to complain about at all. _

Jace rolls his eyes at everyone, but does keep trying to get Andrew to kiss him. Only, it isn't until he hears about Andrew's night off that he considers just why he’s so invested in the entire thing. He finds out that Andrew's actually heading out instead of hanging out with his usual group of friends, and Jace  _ knows. _

He knows what that means. Jace has been in Andrew’s shoes often enough to understand that going out alone meant for someone with a healthy sex life. And for all the two minutes that Jace has even thought of Andrew’s sex life, he feels his stomach turn uncomfortably. He has no problems with what Andrew (or Alec, or whoever else) does behind closed doors, but the thought that Andrew is going out looking for a hookup makes him squirm.

Alec finds him just as he’s about to leave. He has an early shift tomorrow, so he should actually be preparing for bed instead of  following Andrew going out himself.

The look in his  _ parabatai _ ’s eyes is one of those he hates to see directed at him. It speaks of sharing his pain and feeling echoes of it in their bond. Only, he thinks to himself, there is no pain. Just confusion. A fuckton of it.

_ Uh-oh. _

No words are exchanged as Alec lets him leave, and it doesn’t take much for Jace to find the exact place Andrew’s at. They were both creatures of comfort, all things considered, and though he knows Andrew could be made to go to (and enjoy) a club like Pandemonium when he’s with a group, he knows Andrew prefers a more laid back atmosphere like Hunters Moon when he’s alone or with just one other person. A small niggling fear of him having gone somewhere else because he isn’t planning on leaving alone makes Jace jumpier than he already is.

Andrew sits alone at the bar, nursing what was probably something rum-based. He’s on his phone, and Jace wonders if he’s actually ruining Andrew meeting up with a friend. But then what if it weren’t a friend and--

“You come here often?” As soon as the words leave his mouth, Jace wants to stab himself with his own blade. In his mind, he can hear Isabelle cackling.

“Often enough to know you don’t,” Andrew replies, looking up at him. Seated as he is, slouched and relaxed, he looks shorter than Jace.  _ Softer,  _ Jace’s mind supplies.

He slides in between Andrew and the other seat, resting an elbow on the counter.

“If I recall correctly,  _ and I do,  _ you have a 0600H shift tomorrow.” The smile on Andrew’s face is teasing, and something in Jace unwinds. This is familiar. There is nothing wrong between them. Andrew isn’t mad at him or avoiding him. Though he might start now, considering Jace is inviting himself to his night off.

“Well, I couldn’t go to sleep without my goodnight kiss, could I?” Jace smirks, waving over the bartender and ordering himself a drink.

“You know there’s no one watching anymore, right?”

Jace looks at him incredulously, “Why does that matter?”

Andrew looks confused as he straightens up. “You’re telling me you want to kiss me?”

“Yes,” nods Jace without missing a beat.

“Why?” Andrew shakes his head, though he does lean in.

The  _ ‘why not’ _ was on the tip of Jace’s tongue, but Andrew’s phone buzzes and the older man’s attention is sufficiently diverted.

But Jace is having none of it.

He waits for long enough that Andrew replies to whoever that was, and the second he looks back at Jace, he’s pulled in for another kiss.

Unlike their only other kiss, which had been a lot about proving a point instead of actually kissing, this one was all heat and passion, and a desperation Andrew is blindsided by. He pulls Jace closer with a tug at his belt loops, shifting so that Jace could slot in between his legs. They’re close enough in height that there isn’t much strain on either of them to angle their heads.

Jace holds Andrew’s face in both of his hands, licking into Andrew’s mouth the moment the opportunity presents himself. Andrew lets his fingers caress Jace’s stubble, liking the way it felt against his skin, and then scratches lightly.

The effect is instantaneous: Jace letting out a small groan and shifting even closer to him.

It’s Andrew that pulls away, his phone continuously buzzing on the countertop reminding Jace that he’s the one intruding on Andrew’s personal time.

“I’m waiting for my cousin,” Andrew explains. “She’s in town for a few days on a mission from the Los Angeles Institute. Only, she’s visiting some of her mundane friends first, so I’m meeting them for drinks later.”

_ Oh _ .

They talk some more as they leave the bar. Their schedules dictate that they were heading in different directions, and Jace can’t help but pull Andrew in for a quick kiss before they actually part ways. Andrew doesn’t pull him in this time, though the man puts his hands on Jace’s hips and it grounds Jace in a way he’s never felt before. It’s when he’s about a block from the Institute that he realizes just what he’s done.

Why had he kissed Andrew? Well, it had been nice to kiss him, there was no doubt about that, but he’d never done that before. He isn’t homophobic. With the amount of times he’s been in the same room as Magnus and Alec getting started on things that definitely ended in the bedroom to the point of not batting an eye at it anymore, how can he be? Besides, there’s nothing wrong with being into guys.

It’s just that Jace isn’t into guys.  _ Not at all. _ This thing with Andrew is solely about fixing Jace’s reputation and getting Andrew to admit Jace is a fantastic kisser. He’s not interested in Andrew. 

How can he be? He’s not…

He would have known sooner, wouldn’t he?

After all, he’d known about Alec sooner--before Alec even told him. Shouldn’t he have figured it out sooner too?

_ But _ , Jace thinks as he reaches his own room,  _ it was nice kissing Andrew _ . He certainly didn’t hate it, and if Andrew asked if he wanted to do it again, Jace’s reaction certainly wouldn’t be no.

He’s not gay, though. He knows he’s not. He’s never once thought about a man like that.

And really, he still doesn’t. There isn’t a part of him that’s wondering what kissing any of the other attractive men that he’s seen would be like.

Except...maybe he wouldn’t mind thinking about Andrew like that? And if Andrew wanted them to think of each other like that…

Jace shakes his head and shuts his door.

* * *

Andrew wonders if he should have done something differently, because Jace is now definitely avoiding him. He massages the bridge of his nose, going through his mental checklist for the day. If Jace needs some space, he’ll give it to him. More than anyone, he probably has an idea of what could be going through Jace’s mind, and he’ll let the man have the time to process.

That said, it doesn’t stop Andrew from being  _ concerned _ . He likes Jace. He likes kissing him too, but mostly, he also likes him as a person. It's obvious he's going through something, but what can Andrew do? It's not as if they're particularly close. Outside of work and some moments hanging out with others in between, and those kisses...they were...well, what  _ were _ they?

In true Lightwood fashion, Jace sets out to hurt himself for not knowing something he feels he should have known from the start. He's not interested in guys.  _ He isn't Alec. _ He's never even looked at Alec twice like that, and he  _ knows _ his  _ parabatai _ is hot. But no. Men have never appealed to him like that. He's not... _ not straight. _

From simply avoiding Andrew, the situation evolves right into Jace just straight up ignoring Andrew. He requests shifts at completely opposite times than he knows Andrew is scheduled. He finds ways to leave any room Andrew’s in; he doesn’t even look at him when they’re in the same room, really.

A month later, mostly because Alec and Isabelle were sick of it, they’re forced to work another mission together. And this time, Andrew can’t help himself. He’s stayed away. He’s given Jace his space. Now, he just wants an answer.

“We’re going to have to talk sooner or later,” his fingers curl around Jace’s arm, effectively stopping the man from walking right past him. He sees the way Jace’s jaw clenches, and uses a bit of force to direct Jace to where he wants. Andrew knew Jace enough to know that he could have escaped his hold, not with too much ease, considering Andrew’s own training, but the option remained.

They reach a corner of the Ops Center mostly uninhabited. Andrew pulls up their mission brief on a nearby pad.

“Look,” he says, looking through the details he’d already reviewed an hour ago. “I get that things might have gone farther than you intended, but that doesn’t have to mess with this. With us. If you want to still be just friends that’s more than fine with me.” Andrew stops himself there. He knows they weren’t exceptionally close or anything but Andrew does like talking to Jace, and he really is hoping they’d be able to at least remain friends.

Jace blinks, feeling his own cheeks warm up. He shuffles so that there’s a little more space between them, though they’re still close enough that people know they were talking to each other. Alec’s been on his case about it--if by on his case, one meant Alec told him:  _ “If I can cancel my almost-wedding and kiss the High Warlock of Brooklyn in front of the entire damned Clave, then you can talk to the best partner you’ve had on the field aside from myself or Izzy.” _

Andrew sighs, feeling as if they aren’t going to go anywhere with this entire non-conversation they were having.

“I’m not gay,” Jace hisses out.

Andrew blinks and doesn’t really say anything for a second. That’s not what he was asking at all.

Jace barrels on, as if unable to keep the words from spilling from his lips, “I’m not gay, but I like kissing you. I’ve never looked at another dude like that. I’ve never thought about kissing them. Or...or...I don’t even think Magnus is kissable, but I...I like  _ you. _ What does that  _ mean _ ?”

"I...well...you could be bisexual?" Andrew offers, confused and concerned. He didn’t think this was how this conversation was going to go. He had prepared for a fist to the face, if he’s being honest. “But I...Jace,” he lets his fingers graze Jace’s forearm, wounded as they were across his chest. “I like you too, and I’m not sure what exactly you’re looking for, but maybe we can talk about this later? After we go kill some demons?”

Jace seems to deflate right before his eyes, lips curving into a smile despite obvious effort not to.

They go through the motions of preparing for their mission, Andrew keeping in the back of his mind to keep a close eye on Jace, just in case. And while they’re by the weapons rack with Andrew weighing a Bō, Jace quietly mumbles:

"So am I still the worst kisser you've ever kissed?"

Andrew's brain takes a second to reboot, and then he says, "I never said you were the worst kisser..." he smirks, relieved at the familiar banter. "Just that I don't see what the fuss was all about."

And Jace, despite knowing he’s (yet again) being baited, can’t resist biting, almost literally, and proceeds to drop his blade and pull Andrew into a kiss once again, this time right in front of everyone.

Andrew is surprised to say the least, but he’s certainly not complaining. He pulls Jace close, angles his head to kiss him deeper, and lets himself savor this moment. Jace grips the lapels of his jacket, and he’s overcome with this feeling of just wanting to devour Andrew in the same breath that he wants Andrew to consume him.

They do eventually part. Whether it’s because they remember they actually have a mission or because Alec interrupts them, Jace will never tell. They stop kissing, but the banter is back. Only, this time, there’s more heat behind every quip. They flirt between killing the three demons that managed to pop up on their sensors. It’s great, they think. This is pretty great.

After their mission, Jace and Andrew silently walk towards Andrew’s room.

“Want to come in?” Andrew asks.

“Luring me to bed already?” Jace teases. “You haven’t even taken me on a date yet!”

Andrew rolls his eyes as he enters the room. “I’m closing this door now, if you aren’t coming.”

Jace smirks, following Andrew. “Oh but we haven’t even done anything yet.”

It’s a few minutes later, when they’re cuddled together on Andrew’s bed after a few more kisses that Jace starts to speak.

“I don’t think I’m bisexual.” Jace admits, keeping his eyes on the curve of Andrew’s lip. His thumb rubs against Andrew’s chin, soft and gentle.

Andrew’s arm around Jace’s middle tightens briefly. He feels like he’s getting whiplash from this series of events because first Jace is kissing him, and then avoiding him, and then kissing him again (in front of everyone!) and now Jace is breaking up with him before they even dated? He’s about to pull away from Jace when the man continues:

“But I like you and maybe I’m overthinking it all. Maybe... it’s okay that I just like you, right?” Then softer and unsure, Jace asks, “That’s okay, right?”

This time, it's Andrew pulling Jace in for a kiss. It's nothing like all the others they've shared. It's soft and sweet and ends with Andrew smiling at Jace and assuring him that of course it was okay for him to like whoever he did. And Andrew was going to be there for him.

Jace cuddles up to him, burying his nose into Andrew’s neck. It’s so sweet, intimate, and domestic.

“Now, for your kissing, however…” Jace pinches Andrew’s side before he could even continue, making Andrew laugh. “We’ll work on it.” He teases, pulling Jace up and kissing him.

**Author's Note:**

> So the prompt goes:
> 
> "...Jace and Andrew being put on the same team together and some people on their team are new to the Institute and don't realize that 1. Alec Lightwood is Jace's parabatai and 2. Andrew is an openly gay man. Jace catches the tail end of them saying some horrible homophobic stuff. Andrew is one to stand up for himself but they're working and he was just going to let it slide until the mission is over. Jace doesn't. Jace snaps at them and they get into a heated confrontation that leads to one of them jokingly asking Jace if he'd kiss a man. Jace, pissed off by this, walks up to Andrew who's a few steps away watching this all. Jace asks if he can kiss him to piss them off and Andrew just nods."
> 
> Me being me, I jumped on that and we went back and forth for a bit until I eventually worked that into this little fic!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated 💚


End file.
